underworld

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noun un·der·world \ ˈən-dər-ˌwərld \

Definition of underworld

1 :the place of departed souls :hades

2 archaic :earth

3 :the side of the earth opposite to one :antipodes

4 :a social sphere below the level of ordinary life

the town's seedy underworld

; especially :the world of organized crime

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Examples of underworld in a Sentence

a magazine article taking an insightful look at the underworld inhabited by street people

Recent Examples of underworld from the Web

After a botched bank robbery lands his younger brother in prison, an outlaw (Robert Pattinson) embarks on a twisted odyssey through the city's underworld in an increasingly desperate attempt to get his brother out of jail.

— Detroit Free Press, "New movies this week: 'Leap!,' 'Good Time'," 24 Aug. 2017
One of the most notorious groups to go after the Bund were the boys of the Jewish underworld: Mayer Lansky, Bugsy Siegal, Mickey Cohen, and others.

— randy dotinga, The Christian Science Monitor, "How did American Naziism begin?," 16 Aug. 2017
Unfortunately, a massive gateway to the underworld has apparently opened in his hometown: The Associated Press's Tamara Lush reports that a massive sinkhole has already swallowed two homes and condemned five more in the town of Land O'Lakes.

— dan sweeney, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Gubernatorial race about to get Jacked," 11 Aug. 2017
What a miner, pistoning in slow motion through the underworld of the earth, engineering vents, channels, water flow, converting death and dearth, day in, night out.

— greg delanty, The Atlantic, "Earthworm," 8 Aug. 2017
Up an alley, beyond some hoarding, through what can feel like Harry Potter’s secret portal, the underworld of an unfinished Crossrail station sprawls beneath the traffic and commotion of Tottenham Court Road.

— michael kimmelman, New York Times, "London’s New Subway Symbolized the Future. Then Came Brexit.," 31 July 2017
Evidence presented in recent days – including witness testimony from Ramirez – pulls back a curtain on the sometimes dangerous and desperate underworld that is Sacramento’s homeless community.

— cynthia hubert, sacbee, "Homeless woman experienced kindness, then a violent death, under a Sacramento freeway," 26 July 2017
Ordering the Department of Justice to fire Mueller, or pardoning the targets of his investigations, would be an open announcement that Trump considers his financial ties to the Russian underworld and state to be beyond any legal accountability.

— jonathan chait, Daily Intelligencer, "Trump Is Mobilizing for War Against the Rule of Law," 20 July 2017
As Franklin stumbles his way through his entree into the criminal underworld, Idris projects both brazenness and fear, Franklin’s decency doing battle with his drive to succeed and flourish.

— vanityfair.com, "Snowfall Provides Only Fleeting, Forgettable Highs," 5 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'underworld.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of underworld

1598

underworld Synonyms

Synonyms

demimonde, demiworld, half-world, underbelly, netherworld

Related Words

abyss, depths

UNDERWORLD Defined for English Language Learners

underworld

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noun

Definition of underworld for English Language Learners

: the world of crime and criminals
the underworld : the place where dead people go in Greek myths

UNDERWORLD Defined for Kids

underworld

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noun un·der·world \ ˈən-dər-ˌwərld \

Definition of underworld for Students

:the world of crime

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See words that rhyme with underworld Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for underworld Spanish Central: Translation of underworld Nglish: Translation of underworld for Spanish speakers

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